I miss my cars.

Let me explain. I didn’t sell either of them. I just don’t have them at the moment. I live on a very small and narrow street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. That’s not exactly conducive for having multiple cars.

Because of this, my cars don’t live with me. They are taking up space in my parents’ northern New Jersey driveway about 15 miles away from my 600 square-foot apartment. I greatly appreciate the generosity, but it does leave me missing them a great deal.

Fifteen miles may not sound like much, but that’s 15 miles in the New York metropolitan area. That means it takes me about an hour to get to either of my cars… and my parents, I guess.

Some of you may remember (if you read my three months ago), my cars represent an upper middle class lifestyle at the end of the Bush administration. I’ve got a 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si convertible with a 6-speed manual that has only caused my wallet pain and anguish in the time I’ve owned it. I also have a dead-nuts reliable 2006 Ford Explorer Limited with the 4.Slow V6. Some of you may be asking why I didn’t get the Eddie Bauer, but the Limited actually slots above it because I’m bougie.

Regardless, neither of my cars really works on my street, but for very different reasons. The Explorer’s reason is simple: It’s too fuckin’ big. Parking spots are super rare on the streets of Manhattan, and spots that are big enough for a 16 foot long SUV are even harder to find. So, that’s out.

My Z4 has other issues entirely, and no, the manual transmission isn’t to blame. You are weak if you say traffic is keeping you out of a manual.

While it may be a mechanical bastard, it’s still in good shape from the outside. So I am constantly afraid of people bumping into it. My other issue is the fact it’s a soft top. Car robberies are just about at an all time high in New York City. That means a bad person could just come up to my car and slit the roof open with a knife – leaving my interior exposed. At that point a thief would be very upset when they realize the only thing in the car is an AUX cord and a dongle to fit with my iPhone.

So, like I said, having the cars in the city is a no-go for me. At least at my current apartment. That means they are relegated to my parents’ (thanks again) driveway where they sit.

I suppose distance makes the heart grow fonder, but I think at this point it’s fond enough. Maybe it’s time to move.